PROTEST AFTER POLICE KILL L'TILLE MAN

According to police reports at around 5 am, officers of the Inter- Agency Task Force which comprised of police and soldiers went to the Dan Kelly home of Mykel Lancaster, 32, to execute a search warrant. It is alleged that Lancaster began firing at the police officers. The officers returned fire hitting him in the head and other parts of the body. He was conveyed to Port-of-Spain General Hospital where he died short time later.

Police say he was wanted by the police for murder, shootings and other serious crimes.

Residents, whose homes were searched minutes earlier and who claimed they had witnessed the incident, disputed the claim by police officers that Lancaster shot at them forcing them to return fire. Residents claim Lancaster was killed in cold blood which prompted them to protest.

The first action taken by residents was to throw burning debris along the EMR in the vicinity of the Central Market, Beetham flyover while others blocked several routes along Picton and John John causing traffic to be backed up. Another group of young men then set fire to a car along the EMR while there are unconfirmed reports of others firing at some passing vehicles.

Police sources said their walkie talkies kept busy as officers who were witnessing the incidents began asking their colleagues for assistance to quell the situation. Officers from the IATF, Port-of-Spain CID, Guard and Emergency Branch and units from the Police Service responded promptly and began removing the lighted debris from the roadway while some began removing other debris along the roadways from the hills of Laventille. The protesters played a game of cat and mouse with the officers moving from one place to another, also firing shots into the air.

The unruly and disruptive behaviour of the mostly young persons prompted senior police officers to instruct that the area be cordoned off and persons involved in the disruptive activity to be arrested.

The San Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation and Port-of-Spain City Corporation assisted in removing the debris. Head of the IATF Snr Supt Simbonath Rajkumar visited the scene along with senior officers from the Port-of-Spain division. They carried out patrols in the John John and Dan Kelly areas and attempted to speak with the residents of the area.

Laventille West MP Fitzgerald Hinds and National Security Minister Edmund Dillon visited the scene and spoke with residents and asked them to desist from acts of lawlessness. Residents agreed but when they left they returned to lighting the roadway.

At around 3 pm they returned to the John John Towers and lit more debris and police and soldiers had to return and remove it.

Acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams was given a report on the incident and Sunday Newsday understands a directive was issued to have Dan Kelly, Picton, John John and surrounding areas heavily patrolled pending further instructions.

No one was detained for the incident.

Yesterday senior officers advised that anyone who is found blocking the roadway or carrying out any acts of violence would be apprehended. Based on the protests, police believe similar incidents are being planned in the Laventille area.

Several residents of Dan Kelly who claimed to have witnessed shooting say they will be going to the Police Complaints Authority on Monday to give an account of what transpired and accused the police of not being truthful. Police responded yesterday by claiming that Lancaster is believed to have been involved in a series of homicides and shootings aligned with serious crimes.

They executed a search warrant at his home because of information they received.

Residents informed Dillon during his visit that they wanted an emergency town meeting to air their grievances and one is scheduled to be held on Tuesday evening.